NBA: Ainge learned to get a return on aging stars

When a bad back forced Larry Bird to retire in 1992, the Celtics didn’t get any compensation for him.

When Kevin McHale limped into retirement on a bad foot a year later, once again the Celtics received nothing in return.

Robert Parish, the oldest member of the Celtics’ original Big Three, stuck around for one more season, but the team posted its first losing record in 15 years. Parish became a free agent that summer, signed with Charlotte and for the third consecutive year, Celtics picked up no players or draft picks as another star left.

Without that Big Three, the Celtics posted losing records for eight consecutive years and made the playoffs only once during that time, falling in the first round.

Danny Ainge played with the original Big Three. He watched them grow old and the franchise suffer, and two decades later, he was determined not to let history repeat itself. Ainge squeezed a few more years out of the next Big Three era than expected, but after the Celtics struggled to a 41-40 record this season and were ousted from the playoffs in the first round, he made the bold move to trade Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett when he could still get something for them. Some Celtics fans may argue he didn’t get enough, but at least he got something.

On Thursday, the Celtics and Nets agreed in principle on a deal that will send Pierce, Garnett and Jason Terry to Brooklyn for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Kris Joseph, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans (on a sign and trade) and first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. In 2014, the Celtics will receive Brooklyn’s or Atlanta’s first-round pick, whichever is worse. In 2017, the Celtics will have the option of exchanging first-round picks with the Nets.

Tornika Shengelia and Reggie Evans were originally mentioned among the group headed to Boston, but Brooks, the Celtics’ first-round pick in 2011, and Joseph, the Celtics’ second-round pick in 2012, replaced them.

The trade cannot be officially announced until July 10, when a moratorium on signings and trades ends.

The Celtics clearly weakened themselves with this trade. None of the players they received from the Nets figure into their future, but Ainge is counting on the draft picks to help him rebuild. The Celtics now have nine first-round picks over the next five years, including the 2015 first-round pick they acquired on Tuesday to allow Doc Rivers out of the final three years of his contract so he could coach the Clippers. Celtics fans now find themselves in the unfamiliar position of having to root against Pierce, Garnett and Rivers. The more games they lose, the better picks the Celtics will receive.

Owning so many first-round picks, Ainge didn’t mind giving Dallas two second-round selections in 2014 to move up three spots to 13th in the NBA Draft Thursday to take Gonzaga forward Kelly Olynyk. Ainge also gave Indiana cash for Colorado State center Colton Iverson, who was selected in the second round with the 53rd pick. After the draft, the Celtics signed undrafted Missouri guard Phil Pressey, son of former Celtics assistant coach Paul Pressey.

Ainge called the Celtics much better off than when he was hired to run the franchise on May 9, 2003, and he expected them to rebuild much faster than they did back then. Celtics fans can only hope so. The Celtics didn’t win a playoff series in Ainge’s first four years running the team. They finally snapped that drought by capturing the 2008 NBA championship after Ainge acquired Garnett and Ray Allen. Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca told CSNNE he expected this rebuilding process to last only two or three years.

Saying goodbye to Garnett and especially Pierce, at their advanced ages of 37 and 35, respectively, may have been necessary, but it was still sad, even more so the same week that Rivers departed. Pierce had led the Celtics in scoring in each of the past 13 years. Bird ranks second by leading the Celtics in scoring 11 years, but not consecutively. Pierce trails only John Havlicek in all-time points. Trailing Havlicek by 2,374 points, Pierce probably needed two more years to pass him.

It’s rare, but not unprecedented for an NBA team to trade a star who had been around such a long time. Houston dealt Hakeem Olajuwon, a two-time NBA champion and the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, after 17 seasons as a Rocket to Toronto during the summer of 2001.

More moves may be on the way, but once the Pierce-Garnett deal goes through, the Celtics could be left with Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley starting in the backcourt and Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger and Brandon Bass or Humphries up front. They don’t really have a center unless you count the very raw Fab Melo or Iverson. Wallace, Bogans, Olynyk, Jordan Crawford and Courtney Lee should be among the backups.

The Celtics will be younger. Only Wallace who turns 31 on July 23 and Bogans, 32, are older than 28. They shouldn’t rank among the NBA’s very worst teams, but making the playoffs would be an accomplishment.

The Celtics’ six-year sellout streak is sure to end this season. Fans will have to hold their noses and hope Ainge’s compost heap eventually results in a sweet-smelling Garden.